Du Mez—The Galenical Oleoresins. 
1037 
Table 46 .—Iodine values of commercial oleoresins. 
Sample 
No. 
Date 
Observer 
Source 
Iodine 
value 
1.. 
1916 
DuMez ... 
Squibb & Sons. 
109.2 (*) 
116.2 
121.7 
2. 
Sharp & Dohme. 
s. . 
“ 
Lilly & Co. 
1 Contained ether. 
Special Quantitative Tests. 
Physiological Test. 
As the active constituent is present in the oleoresin in such 
minute quantities that a gravimetric method for its estimation 
is not practical at the present time, a physiological method would 
appear to be the best means to employ in the standardization 
of this preparation. Such a method is reported to be in use 
for this purpose by the H. K. Mulford Company. Aside, how¬ 
ever, from the fact that the test is based on the ability to de¬ 
tect the pungency of the oleoresin in extremely dilute solutions, 
and that the firm takes as its standard a preparation which is 
still pungent to the taste in a maximum dilution of 1 to 150,000, 
there is no exact information available to show in what man¬ 
ner the same is actually carried out. It is thought, however,, 
that a procedure similar to that developed in this laboratory 
some years ago (1910) is made use of. The following is a 
description of this method. 
Accurately weigh about 1 drop of the oleoresin contained in a small 
flask, add 5 cubic centimeters of normal potassium hydroxide solution and 
heat on a water bath for a short time to saponify the fats. Transfer 
the saponified material to a 100 cubic centimeter flask, using several por¬ 
tions of water for this purpose, and finally dilute up to the mark with 
more water. With the aid of a pipette, measure off 5 cubic centimeters 
of this solution and run it into a graduated cylinder (glass stoppered) of 
1,000 cubic centimeters capacity. Dilute this with water added in por¬ 
tions of 100 cubic centimeters, tasting the solution after each addition. 
Note the highest dilution in which the pungent taste is still distinctly per¬ 
ceptible and compare this with the results obtained using a standard 
preparation. 
As all of the samples prepared in this laboratory were found 
to be distinctly pungent to the taste in dilutions of 1 to 250,000, 
